announced the passing of nelson mandela to south africa and the world that president obama took to the briefing room to talk about his reminiscenses and everything that nelson mandela meant to him. some time in the evening, you are right. the president placed a phone call to jacob zuma. he expressed condolences from himself and michelle obama. he called nelson mandela a man of kindness and humility, influencing his own life, and the president only met nelson mandela one time as a senator. he had visited south africa twice, once as a senator and once this past june with his family, unable to meet the ailing nelson mandela at this point. the president took to the briefing room, talked about the inspiration that nelson mandela was for him, talked about the anecdote. nelson mandela and a struggle against apartheid, inspired president obama as a student in the late '70s, and early '80s, to become involved in politics for the first time. let's listen to what obama had to say. >> we will not see the likes of nelson mandela again. it falls to us as best we can for the example that we set, to m